All Over Again
by Lazy Ronin Ryumori
Summary: Death is not the end, but rather a new start, but for some its more like a restart. Forced to live life in an endless repetition can cause a couple screws to loosen and fall always. Naruto is a man that has lost many screws in his endless cycle of 'restarting'. SlightlyInsaneNaruto. NarutoXHarem. StrongNaruto. TimeTravel.
1. Time, Training, and Truths

Naruto groaned as he felt the rays of morning peak through his blinds. He turned to the side and buried his head into his pillow, fully intent on getting a few more hours of sleep, but after five minutes of trying to force his conscious into a slumber - and failing, he slowly set up and took a survey of his room. It was a small cozy place that had dirty clothes, empty ramen cups, and other dirty pieces of clothes sprawled all over the place.

'_So it begin again, eh_?' He thought nonchalantly as he flipped the covers off of his body and slid out of bed. He walked over to his closet and grabbed a pair of orange pants, some sandals, and a black shirt. Rather any of it was clean or not was beyond his care. With a quick shower, a brush of his teeth, and a cup of ramen in hand he was out the door.

His destination was set to the place he usually went when this happened. This would either be easy or annoying, so he already began to gather his words to avoid the later.

"I really wish I get down a beer before this." He grumbled.

**000AOA000**

"HEY! YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed as his work day started with his secretary yelling. She would only be so hostile with one individual. "How are you, Naruto-kun?" The Sandaime smiled at the boy even as he forced his way into the office with Minami, a twenty-something busty brunette woman, trying to yank him out of the room and building entirely.

"Sup, jiji!" Naruto greeted with a huge grin that the kage was used to seeing at the start of most days. "I need to talk to you, so if you could…" Naruto nodded his head back to the secretary clinging to him.

"Minami, its fine."

"But lord Hokage…"

"It's fine." Sarutobi asserted a little more authoritatively.

"Fine Hokage-sama." The secretary grumbled releasing Naruto. The boy flipped her the bird as she exited, but her back was turned so she didn't notice.

"How's it going, Jiji!" Naruto grinned as he strutted over to the chair opposite of the most influential figure in the Leaf. He sat down and slumped back comfortably into the seat.

"Things are well." The old man croaked out a reply. "What brings you here beyond your daily declaration that you'll be taking my hat?"

"Jiji I need to ask you something." Naruto said his tone a bit more serious that average.

"You know that you may ask anything. If it's within my knowledge I'll answer it."

"How do you think you would feel if you got to relive your life?" Naruto asked.

"Huh?" The wizened Hokage was thrown off by the question.

"I mean, what do you think it would be like to go back to the time right before you became a ninja and then relived your life from there to death."

"Hn." Hiruzen released an amused grunt. "I think I would like such a life. It could allow me to bask in my youth. Right the wrongs I've committed."

"Right." Naruto nodded in acknowledgement. "Now what if you were to live that life several more dozen times over?"

"I-I…" the Sandaime was at a loss of words for a second. "… I might be driven insane by the constant repetition of it all."

"Insanity, huh?" Naruto laughed a bit bitterly. "I know the feeling."

"Naruto what's going on?" Hiruzen asked falling into the mindset of a worrying grandfather.

"You'll tell her to forward mission reports to Iruka and the elders." Naruto words were seemingly out of nowhere.

"Huh?" Sarutobi confusion furthered.

"Wait for it…" Naruto raised his hand. "Now…" He pointed a thumb back towards the door.

"Hokage-sama…" Minami peaked her head into the office. "Kotetsu is here with the mission reported."

Naruto gave the Hokage a knowing look.

"F-Forward them to Iruka and the elders." The Hokage ordered due to a lack of any better words to say.

"Yes sir." The secretary left the room after casting a quick glare to Naruto.

"Now…" Naruto drew the attention back to himself. "… Right now, you are in a state of disbelief. 'How did he know that would happen?' you might be wondering. Well let me tell you something Jiji. I know a lot of stuff that will or rather might happen." Naruto grinned. "Like why the villagers hate me."

"Naruto the villagers don't hate you." Sarutobi chided.

"That's what you pull out of my words?" Naruto laughed. "I just told you that I know about the Kyūbi being sealed in me, ya know?"

"I didn't over look that part." Hiruzen eyes narrowed. "But how do you know that?" The roomed seemed to chill as the Hokage released just a bit of murderous intent; believing the boy before her to be an imposter.

Naruto face contorted in a way that spelled out the fact that he was about to burst a gasket. He showed visible strain not to as he forced his face into a serious expression. "Sorry Jiji, but that glare just becomes funny after the first dozen times."

"What?" Hiruzen was thrown of balance by his words. "Naruto what's going on?"

"It's pretty complex at best and unbelievable at worst."

"I've experienced the unbelievable before." Hiruzen explained.

"Well you know how dad was a great fūinjutsu master right?" It took only a half a second for Naruto's sentence to fully click in the Hokage's mind.

"You know about-"

"My father was the Yondaime. My mother was the Jinchūriki before me. Yeah I learn that a million years ago." Naruto waved his hand away at the knowledge that Sarutobi had keep hidden for years. "Well not actually a million years. I don't think I'm that old?" Naruto scratched him head wondering how old he actually was. "But this will already be hard to explain, so let's not get off topic." Naruto advised.

"Right." Sarutobi's voice was a slow drawl as he began to question his on sanity. "How does your father's fūinjutsu come into play?"

"When he created the seal. He did so with the intent that it would unleash perma-death on Kyūbi upon my demise. The Kyūbi was bound to my soul in such a way that we become dependent on one another. We essentially become two parts eternally intertwined and if one part were to be removed from the other it would cause death to the both of us. Also if one half over our whole were to die it'll drags the other to the afterlife with it."

Hiruzen nodded. He found the whole explanation farfetched but not unbelievably. Minato was a clever lad afterall. "So you are the final Jinchūriki for the Kyūbi."

"Right, the old fuzzy ball was real torn up about it."

"You've talked to him?" Hiruzen asked in shock.

"At this point in my original life I hadn't, but we did come to a mutual understanding during the 4th shinobi war."

"4th Shinobi War!?" Hiruzen shouted.

"Chill, jiji, you're either dead or retired by the time it happens anyway."

"I die!?"

"Don't all humans?" Naruto asked.

"Well it would seem that you don't."

"I die. I just keep comin back." Naruto clarified.

"Yeah, explain that."

"I was just stop distracting me." Naruto rebuked. "So the theory was that Kyūbi was to be gone forever after my death. It's kind of brilliant, but it failed because dad didn't consider one thing."

"That being?"

"The Kyūbi is an earthbound immortal. Directly linked to nature and therefore cannot enter the afterlife. Every time I die I'm absorbed into Gaia, to keep things simple is like the chakra system of the earth. From there I'm sent back to the day the Kyūbi is sealed into me."

"Then why are you just now surfacing as Naruto's conscious?"

"After I'm placed back to my body I always fall into a deep slumber. I always awaken on this day, without fail. This is due to the fact that the Kyūbi always begins to stir around this time."

"This is a lot to take in. How am I to trust any of this?"

"You don't have to, sometimes you don't, sometimes you do. That's the fun of it all. People decisions never remain exactly the same through each loop. The thing is I could in all likelihood be a fuckin' spy sent in to manipulate you into doing everything I want under the pretense that I know the right and wrong decisions from experience it, but let me ask you this. Do. You. Think. I'm. Lying?" Naruto punctuated the question, speaking it slowly and clearly to get his point across.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, considered a god in the realm of shinobi, looked Naruto in the eyes. Hiruzen had lived through every world War. He had decades of experience – potential more than any man alive. He had lied and been lied to, but never fooled. Even at a young age he would get this strange prickle in his spine when he was being presented with false information. Through time that prickle had become a great jolt of electricity that, while not hindering motion, set him on edge. It was this alone that forced him to investigate his student when he had begun to act suspicious. This was also what made him such a grand warrior not just on the battle field, but also in the conference hall. For as long as he lived he had only told two men of ability of his, the Shodai and Nidaime, so the likelihood of an enemy learning of this and developing a measure against it was unlikely, yet not implausible.

Amongst other things, it's a ninja's obligation to be suspicious of all things, but Hiruzen could not bring himself to believe the boy's words as anything short of the truth.

"What do you gain from telling me this?" Hiruzen asked. There wasn't a human alive that did anything without some level of ulterior motive behind their actions, even if those motives were subconscious even to the human. It was one of the great truths of the world. Be it money, glory, friends, or just admiration, everyone has a reason to do what they do.

"It gives reason for you to do what I'm about to ask of you."

"That being?" Hiruzen eyes sharpened into a glare that clear said 'don't dare make it too steep too pay'.

"I have three month left in the academy, right?"

"That's correct." Hiruzen affirmed.

"I want to be excluded from those. I'll come and take the final exam, but I desperately need time to train. To rectify some flaws I currently have."

"Is that all?" Hiruzen asked.

"Unfreezing my parent's accounts before my eighteenth birthday would be nice, but if you don't I won't fault ya. I've been kage so I know the pain of paperwork."

"No matter how many clones I make to help."

"It never seems to end. I know." Naruto groaned remembering the numerous times he had become Hokage. He even let Sasuke take the position a couple times to avoid the trouble.

"I'll see to having the accounts opened, but for now I need you to given me details of my supposed death."

"Well…" Naruto spent the rest of the day discussing with the Hokage about crucial details of events yet to transpire and the ways he saw to resolve them.

**000AOA000**

Through his many lives Naruto had gotten training down to a solid formula. The methods he used was torture on the mind and body, but he was done before he really felt any time pass by. To commemorate his completely he stitched up an outfit not dissimilar to the one he wore during his time as Hokage. A Uniform that considered of black sandals that reached to his shins, black pants, and an orange shirt and black ANBU grade vest hidden under an orange loose fitting jacket with three thin black lines around the bottom of its waist and sleeves. He even went so far as to cut his hair short like he had after the war and he didn't dare touch the gaudy goggles he once wore. Physical his training had caused him to hit a growth spurt, nothing major, but he was now maybe an inch taller than Sasuke.

His trip to the Academy had been short, one shunshin between his apartment, which had been cleaned, and the learning institution.

The place was crowded as usual when Naruto entered. The eyes of the shinobi hopeful turned towards the door as it cracked open and the room grew significantly quieter as he stepped in. The room was shocked by both his presence and his appearance.

"Oi! Dobe, what's with the get up?" Kiba was the first to break the silence.

Naruto glanced up at him with dispassionate frown. "What? I'm entitled to wearing something different, right, dogbreath?" Naruto asked rudely.

"A dobe like you shouldn't even be here. You're just gonna flunk anyway." Kiba fired back not seeing away to retort to his actual question.

"And how do you figure that?" Naruto asked stepping towards the stairs and walking up them.

Kiba was beginning to fell unnerved as Naruto approached him. The blond's approaching presence was suffocating for some reason. Akamaru was whimpering from inside his jacket. "I-it's obvious! You can't even do a clone jutsu."

"Can't I?" Kiba jumped up onto his desk as he suddenly a new presence suddenly appeared behind him. He stood atop the desk looking back and forth, because behind him was Naruto, but on the stairs just below him was Naruto as well.

"Wha- HOW?" Kiba yelled looking at the clone and the original. "Bunshin aren't supposed to have a smell!"

"Troublesome." Shikamaru grumbled. He was sitting beside Kiba and nearly had his head smashed as he had been napping when Kiba so 'delicately' jumped on the table. "It's not the Bunshin that the academy teaches. I'm assuming Kage Bunshin?" Shikamaru's drawled out a question directed at Naruto.

"Good guess. How'd ya figure?"

"It's Konoha standard clone for Chunin and higher."

"How'd a dobe like you learn something like that?" Naruto had a hard time figuring out the name of the guy that spoke. He was a brown haired kid with brown eyes with no distinct features. If Naruto remember corrects his name was Kizashi or something like that, never made it beyond genin and was amongst the dead of the Fourth Shinobi World War.

"Sorry who are you?" Naruto looked at the guy with such coldness that the kid slumped back into his chair and tried to look small.

"Anyway, why are you here? Didn't you drop out?" Kiba asked.

"No I took a break authorized by the Hokage." Naruto answered in a matter of fact manner.

"Yeah right, like the Hokage would approve that!" a girl, another nobody, laughed.

"Well considering that my education was all but sabotaged by all the instructors save Iruka, he gave me some time to correct my flaws since I wasn't learning anything here."

"What do you mean sabotaged?" Sasuke, usually off into his own little world of angst, joined the conversation. His eyes were sharp and focused on Naruto. It didn't surprise the blond that the Uchiha had already figured out that Naruto seemed a lot different beyond just new size and style.

"Do you know what a Jinchūriki is?" Naruto asked. A lot of the class looked confused, but all of the present clan kids, save for the dumber ones {Kiba}, perked up at the mention of the word.

"Yeah. What of it?" Sasuke pushed for an actual answer.

"Do you know how they're treated?"

"They're usually ostracized or abused by the public. What's you point?" Sasuke growled, not quite connecting the dots.

"So you're Konoha's Jinchūriki?" Shikamaru asked Naruto the obvious question that his implications were presenting.

"Right." Naruto nodded. The children raised by clans had widened eye for a second before they returned to normal. None of them seemed to be too affected by the news, those that hated him still did and those that kind of liked him new better than to hate a container for his bijuu's deeds, but the civilians still looked out of the loop.

"I don't get it. What's a Jinchūriki?" Kiba asked to the benefit of all of those out of the loop.

"The fact that you don't know speaks loads about you." Sasuke chastised dispassionately.

"Ask your mom later, dogboy." Naruto walked passed Kiba as his clone vanished without a plume of smoke; something he had focused on making happen, enemies would be alerted by the appearance of smoke, so he had learned to dispel his chakra in a more subtle fashion.

He took the vacant seat beside Sasuke just as the door was forced open and Sakura and Ino came charging through. The got stuck in the door but by sheer luck Sakura squeezed out first.

"HA! I'm first, piggy!" Sakura cheered as she flipped Ino her middle figure.

"I made it here first, Bill board brow, your huge forehead just gave you the advantage!"

Naruto stifled a laugh. He knew he would miss the bantering between the two fangirls when they finally became friends again.

"HEY! How are you laughing at, idiot!?" Sakura asked stomped up the stairs right at Naruto. "Give up that sit!" She growled getting right in his face.

"First off your breath stinks…" Naruto said pushing back at Sakura's forehead with his finger to get some distance between them. She held her head in front of her face and blew out a bit of air to see if her breath did actually smell bad. "… Secondly, I was here first. How you figure you deserve to sit here is beyond me."

"Shut up!" Sakura swung her fist at Naruto, but he easily caught it and push her back with a bit more force this time causing her to fall onto her ass.

The room was shocked by the action. Naruto hurting his crush in anyway would have seemed impossible three months prior. "That punch was pathetic. No skill or power at all." Naruto reprimanded.

"S-shut up!" Sakura got up and dusted off her ass. "Why are you even here!? Didn't you drop out?"

"I already answered that question, so I'm not about to do it again, so let's talk about you instead."

"What about me?" Sakura growled.

"You're logic, really all you fangirls' logic, isn't sound." Naruto took a glance at Ino standing beside Sakura. His fellow blonde still looked shocked the Naruto defended himself against Sakura.

The fangirls all glared at him for calling them such, but Naruto gave them no mind as he continued. "Anyone with half a mind can see that Sasuke values strength above anything. His goal is to restore his clan. The Uchiha's. Even before Konoha's founding they were a Hi no Kuni's most elite faction of shinobi only rivaled to by the Senju. Any woman that would married into this family would have to be the strongest kunoichi that Sasuke could find. Yet you…" Naruto was borderline glaring at Sakura before his eyes shifted to Ino and a few of the other prominent members of Sasuke's fan club. "Focus only on your beauty. You barely train during class and I doubt you do it at all outside of it. Some of you even go so far as to go on diets, even though you shouldn't have to worry about weight as long as you train property. If you want to get in Sasuke's pants then there's only two ways to do it. Rape him…" The class looked mostly appalled by the suggestion. Naruto turned to Sasuke. "… Don't worry, none of them are actually strong enough to pull that off…" Sasuke looked as if he wasn't worrying about it to begin with. He probably already figured that out or maybe a few girls hand already tried it. "… Or you could train until your body is screaming for you to stop and then you should train some more. If you're lucky the bastard here might decide you're worth the time to put his seed in."

"Shut up, asshole, you don't know what you're talking about!" Ino yelled.

"He's right." Sasuke claimed. "None of you are worth being a part of the Uchiha Clan." Naruto could almost hear it as a dozen hearts, all belong you fangirls (and fanboys), shattered.

"You know you fuckin up when the bastard actually agrees with me." Naruto laughed with a shit-eating grin.

Sasuke looked at him for a second before turning away; going back into his only little world were brooding was the only activate allowed.

"Now go off to the corner and think about all the other ways you fail at life." Naruto shooed the girls away. They were so discombobulated that they did just that; taking up seats at desks in the top corner of the room.

Iruka and Mizuki walked into the room while it was still silent. Iruka looked please by this while Mizuki looked pleased only as his eyes landed on Naruto. The blond boy only ignored him; already knowing how this would play out.

"Hey Iruka-sensei!" Naruto raised his hand getting the attention of the scarred man.

"Naruto, so you made it. No need to worry about missed time Hokage-sama explained it to me."

"I have something important to tell you. The Hokage said it's for your ears only." Naruto explained.

"Oh, okay. Mizuki watched the class." Iruka gestured for Naruto to follow him. The blond did just that walking passed Mizuki without batting a lash. Mizuki glared at the back of Naruto's head, suspicious of the boy's actions. The genin-to-be now in the know of Naruto's plight took notice of the glare. For them it verified that Naruto hadn't been lying before.

Iruka and Naruto walked for a half a minute before they stepped into Iruka's office. Iruka's activated a standard silencer seal, hidden on the wall behind his desk and turned to Naruto. "Okay, what did Hokage-sama want to tell me and why did he send it through an academy student?"

"He wants me to take the test right now. So that it can appear than I flunked it when around Mizuki."

"Why would he want that?" Iruka found the order bizarre.

"I've informed him that Mizuki is up to something. ANBU will be around later so go with them if you want to see what I'm talking 'bout."

"Okay well you're current marks are passible, barely, and the Hokage excused you from all work of the pass three month, so show me Henge, Bunshin and substitute and you'll-"

Iruka said no more as he suddenly found himself in Naruto's place with two perfect replicas of the Yondaime Hokage standing behind his desk.

One vanished without so much as a plume of smoke and the other seemed to shimmer before turning into Naruto.

"How." Iruka squeaked in shock.

"I haven't be just lazing around like a Nara while I was away." Naruto grinned walking passed Iruka and through the door.

**000AOA000**

Naruto set on the swings looking at the horde of parents congratulating their children. Even though he knew that he would one day have recognition and the love of a family he still couldn't help but feel a sense of bitterness since he didn't know the love of a parent beyond the passing moments he had with his on parents within his seal.

"Naruto." Mizuki appeared in a shunshin beside Naruto.

"Mizuki-sensei!" Naruto let out a gasp of faux shock.

"Can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure." Naruto hopped up from the swing and smiled childishly at Mizuki as he allowed the man to grab him by the shoulder and shunshined them to a balcony hanging off the side of the academy.

Naruto immediate sat on the edge of the bar-less balcony with Mizuki joining him to his right.

"You know." Mizuki sighed. His acting really sucked Naruto noticed for the thousandth time; he had been really foolish to fall for it the first time hadn't he? "Iruka-sensei isn't a bad guy."

"Yeah right." Naruto grumbled sounding as if he believed that to be a lie. It was probably one of the few truths the man others

"He's just a serious person. His parents were killed when he was young and he had to take on the world by himself after that."

"That gives him no right to pick on me!" Naruto growled in frustration.

"He probably sees himself in you. He acted just like you when he was small ya know." Naruto's eyes widened realizing this fact.

"He probably 'picks' on you, because he wants to see you become strong in a real sense not because people made it easy on you. You should try to understand Iruka's feelings since you also never had parents."

Naruto frowned and looked to the ground as Mizuki spoke those words. Iruka was ready to reveal his presence seeing that Mizuki was just trying to encourage Naruto and didn't seem to be up to anything, but the ANBU to either side of him stopped his motion.

"I really wanted to become a shinobi, though." Naruto moaned sadly.

"In that case…" Iruka's eyes narrowed as Mizuki continued. Naruto looked up hopefully. "I'll tell you a special secret. There's a makeup exam, but it's far harder than the normal test."

"I'd do anything!" Naruto stressed as he looked ready to jump for joy.

"Okay, Okay." Mizuki held is hands up; a sign for Naruto calm down. The blond did just that. "All you have to do is steal a scroll from the Hokage's office. You can't miss it. It's the biggest one there."

"That's all?" Naruto asked cockily.

Mizuki looked stumped for a second. "You should also learn at least one technique from it. If you can do that before I find you then you'll pass."

"Great. Thanks Mizuki-sensei." Naruto grinned giving the man a hug. "You spoke so clearly that I'm sure Neko-chan got it all recorded!" He whispered in his ear before flickering a couple feet away via a seal-less shunshin.

"What!" Mizuki stood up and looked read to leap away, but the ANBU and Iruka made themselves known in that moment. Tenzo brought Mizuki into a full nelson before he could flee, while Neko played her recorder back; revealing that she had the full conversation on tape.

"Mizuki, how could you!?" Iruka asked in shocked.

"He was sure that I wouldn't suspect anything. Afterall he was a key player and making sure the 'Kyūbi brat' stayed stupid." Naruto gave Mizuki a shit-eating grin. "Ain't that right, Mizuki-teme?" Naruto mocked.

"I'll KILL YOU!" Mizuki yelled jumping at Naruto, but Tenzo's grip was tight and the scream only truly earned him an encounter with the butt of Neko's ninjato.

"We'll be taking him in for questioning and then to the execution yard. A traitor's live is forfeited the moment they betray Konoha." Neko looked to Naruto. "Thank you for the assistance Uzumaki-kun. A B-rank's pay will be deposited into your account."

"No problem, Yugao-chan." The cat mask wearing ANBU stiffened a bit at the mention of her name.

"If you want to be inconspicuous I suggest wearing a wig. Long purple hair isn't common at all in Konoha." Naruto submitted. Yugao only nodded before taking the unconscious Mizuki from Yamato and vanishing; not wanting to be further schooled by a fresh genin.

"Well told you something was up, sensei." Naruto smiled at Iruka.

"Good job, Naruto." Iruka ruffled Naruto hair. "We're all out of hitai-ate, so I hope you'll settle for this one." Iruka took off his own forehead protector and gave it to Naruto.

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei." Naruto wrapped the piece of cloth and metal loosely around his neck. "Though I know there's plenty of hitai-ate left in storeroom 3." Naruto laughed and Iruka had the decency to look embarrassed at being caught being sentimental. "I'll make you proud, Nii-san." Naruto swooped in and gave Iruka a hug. The older shinobi happily returned it. He felt his heart warm up at being called the affectionate term.

**000AOA000**

**Well that's it for chapter one. I was going to write more, but I felt this was a good place to end it. Saying that is cliché, I already know, but it's never false. This story serves as both my Christmas present to you guys and gals (I know there's at least a few girls out there fine with reading a harem fic) as well as my promised replacement for one of my deleted stories (The Roots of Konoha).**

**The premise behind this is based off the dilemma of the main character from All You Need is Kill. I just love that book. I suggest you read it or download the audiobook for it. It's also in manga and comic form, but steer away from the comic cuz it doesn't do it justice. If you don't have the resources to get it in book form than get the movie "Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow". It's my first experience with Hollywood doing a good adaptation of something from Japan. It's not a retailing of the light novel, but it's still awesome. If you like Tom Cruise then you should see this movie, if you don't like him then still watch the movie.**

**I original spelled out Naruto's current skills in this chapter, but I thought better of it. I want to keep you guys guessing, though he will be able to handle himself against most ninja not S-rank.**

**With said goodbye for now and have a Merry Christmas!**


	2. Brats, Belles, Bells, and Beatdowns

"Honestly I think it would be best to cut ties with the Wind Daimyō altogether. Ya know set up a full on embargo against the Land of Wind as far as their dealings with Konoha goes." Naruto advised.

Hiruzen rubbed his beard. "That plan seems at least somewhat logical, but the Fire and Wind Daimyō have a close relationship. If we were to make such a move it would cause friction between us and the rest of the Land of Fire. Not to mention that the Wind Daimyō will feel insulted and begin pushing for Suna to go to war with us. Which is what we are trying to prevent."

"Oh please, the Fire Daimyō would be pissed just from you scratching ya ass the wrong way. That old bastard thinks of anyway he can to cut budgets."

"I can only agree." Sarutobi nodded in accordance. Despite what most would like to think the leader of Hi no Kuni was not fond of Konohagakure no Sato. Their relationship was best described as a pair of roommates that hated each other, but knew that they wouldn't be able to pay the bills if they kicked the other out. Only in this chase 'paying bills' was substituted with 'stopping enemy nations from destroying them'. "But just because I know doesn't solve the issue."

"Send a statement directly to the Kazekage explaining that as allies we want no part in the financial drought that currently plagues them. Simultaneous send a letter to the our 'beloved' daimyo explaining that your created the embargo because you've heard far too many rumors that Suna is gearing up for war against Konoha and that attack is imminent if we don't stop taking their missions. Really get across that this situation could lead to a 4th Shinobi War. If all else falls through and Suna does attack. Well they will have no valid excuse to explain why they attacked us to any of potential ally. Their attack will discredit them to the rest of the world making establishing relationships harder for them to accomplish. They'll be all the more eager to agree to any demand we present in exchange to a renew alliance."

"So we'll gain big even if worse comes to worst and we do end up in a scrimmage with them."

"Yes, either way we should still prep for war as I doubt it'll be as easy to make Akatsuki see reason, so war is on the horizon no matter what. It's just a matter of if it'll be in a few months or three years. Finished." Naruto nearly sung as he placed the last paper on to the stack of paperwork that he split between himself and Hiruzen.

The Sandaime glared at his own stack, which hadn't gotten any smaller. "How did you do that?"

"You learn to read and write fast when you've the hundreds of years of experience. That and I've read all of this at least a dozen times before."

Hiruzen couldn't help it as he glared at the boy in envy. He was thankful that Naruto had been uses his free time to help him. Hell, the boy was pretty much a secondary Hokage, but still Hiruzen felt pretty salty that someone a fifth his age was a better Hokage than himself.

"If we've had this conversation before then what is the outcome of cutting ties with the Wind Daimyo?"

"It's always a tossup. People never react exactly the same. Orochimaru's intervention is also a factor."

"I would figure the assistance of some that knows the future would be an advantage, but it only makes things more complicated."

"How ya think I feel? I'd be stressing over everything if I hadn't stopped given a fuck a long time ago." Naruto sighed. "Well, I should be going." he stood up from his seat and deactivated the privacy barrier placed over the room. It was his own creation. Superior to the noise canceling seals that were standard to the offices of most Konoha officials.

"You sure you don't want to stay and help more." Hiruzen sounded as if he was pleading for Naruto to take the rest of the paperwork of his hands.

"No way." Naruto laughed. "I hate paperwork as much as you do, jiji."

"Today is the day you die!" Naruto didn't have to look back as the Hokage's door flew open and a small blur charged in. He snatched Konohamaru's scarf as he passed and yanked him back; pulling him up into the air.

"Hey let me go!" the boy kicked and screamed, but he stopped when he made eye contact with Naruto. The cold, dreadful gaze Naruto gave the young boy caused a smell to fill the room and a wetness to flow down to the floor.

Naruto glared doubled seeing the boy wet himself. "You dare make an attempt on a Kage's life in front of his Shinobi. Give me a reason that I should no gut you now."

"J-jiji, make him put me down." Konohamaru pleaded as he looked back to his grandfather, but the man had a look of cold dispassion on his face as he went back to doing his paperwork.

"Oh so you're the Sandaime's grandson, huh?" Konohamaru felt some type of relief even as he saw his grandfather refuse to come to his defense.

"Yeah, so you better-"

"I frown upon patricide more than anything else, boy, so how about I torture you before slitting your throat."

"No, no, please. I won't attack Jiji anymore, please don't kill me!" Konohamaru pleaded. He was promptly dropped into the puddle of his on urine.

"BWHAHAHAHAHAHA~! You should see the look on your face." Naruto laughed it up at Konohamaru's expense. "I admit, pissing over a prank is a bit much, but I take it you learned your lesson."

"W-what?" Konohamaru expressed his confusing while trying to desperately dry his tears.

"Jiji's been telling me about your little 'assassination attempts', so we devised a way to get you back."

Konohamaru looked back to his grandfather. The old coot was staring at him with open mirth. The crooked smile on the Kage's face pissed him off.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY, JIJI-BAKA!" Konohamaru yelled at the Kage.

"Humor is subjective, kid." Naruto said ducking down to the little Sarutobi. "So what gives? Why are you trying to attack, jiji?"

"If I defeat him I'll become Hokage, duh!"

"It doesn't work like that kid." Naruto deadpanned. "Killing a kage will only get you jail time at best. At worst you'll be killed and your body put on display to show what happens to idiots that attack our beloved leader."

"R-really?"

"Yeah, I figured that was obvious. Why do you want to become a Kage anyway? It's more trouble than it's worth most of the time."

"If I become a Kage than everyone will be forced to acknowledge me and remember my name."

"That's flawed logic if I ever heard it. You don't become the Hokage to be acknowledged. You become Hokage because everyone acknowledges you. You have to become strong in body and mind. When everyone sees that strength then your chances of being Hokage will skyrocket. Study day in and day out, train until your body gives out, and listen to those wise old people, like Jiji, they know more about the world then you probably ever will."

"That just seems like a lot of work."

"It is, but it's worth it." Naruto stood up and walked away. "If you want something then put your all into obtaining it." Naruto stood and left the office but he waved a hand back as farewell as he exited.

**000AOA000**

Naruto walked down the streets of Konoha with his hands in his pocket. The reception he received as he passed by civilians was mixed. The people that knew the burden that he carried sent glares and snares his way, while the people that didn't know him, particular the girls of the younger crowd, we gossiping to themselves on 'how hot he was'. He had all the best features of his mother and father and with his recent work out as well as his change of clothing choice there was nothing hindering him from looking like a god given human form.

"Naruto!"

"Sup Ino." Naruto did stop or look back when he heard a voice from behind call out to him. When the voice's owner came into view it was indeed Ino Yamanaka.

"I have business with you!"

"Oh, really?" Naruto asked with scarcely hidden sarcasm in his voice.

"The things you said yesterday were harsh."

"Doesn't mean they weren't true." Naruto responded as he took a turn into the Ichiraku Ramen stand. Ayame was the only one in. He gave a wave to the girl as Ino followed in behind him, determined to get her complaints heard.

"I don't care! I want an apology!" the Yamanaka heiress demanded

Naruto looked at Ino. She froze in her tracks. The look in his eyes seemed to have something to it that just made her feel weak and small. "Oh really?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Y-yes really."

"You have moxie." Naruto said as his hand reached up and grasped her chin. "I like that…" He grinned. Ino was trembling from Naruto's touch. It wasn't out of fear. She could not capture the emotions she felt from his touch. She only knew she could not will herself to pull away from it though. "So I'll say this, I'm sorry…" Before she could bask in her small victory Naruto moved in and captured her lips in a kiss. Her eyes widened as their lips locked. His mouth burned against hers, as if to sear their presence forever there.

Her entire body was trembling from the contact, yet this tremble was, without doubt, a pleasurable one. Her mind rebelled against the pleasure, shock, and other feelings that she felt. This was wrong. She told herself that mentally, but her body did not agree as it moved to deepen the kiss, but just as she did so Naruto pulled away. "That is, I'm sorry for kissing you without permission. My words from yesterday still stand."

"Y-you jerk!" Ino felt control over her body yield to her again, allowing her the chance to swing a punch for Naruto's head.

Naruto easily caught the punch before it made contact though. "Is that your best go?"

"Shut up! You bastard, you stole my first kiss!"

"Was it a bad of a kiss?" Naruto's natural intensity made it impossible to lie.

Before she could stop it, she blurted out. "No!" She covered her lips, feeling as if they betrayed her.

"Then what's the problem?"

"That kiss was meant for Sasuke!"

"Ino." Naruto gazed into Ino eyes. That gaze made her tremble again, in the pleasurable sense. "I not good at beating around the bush. I **want** you." He cuffed her hands. "Forget about Sasuke, he isn't worthy of the attention of a woman so beautiful. I can show you a world of pleasures if you let me."

"I-" Ino was at a loss of words. She didn't know how to feel and as she looked at Naruto more and more it became clear just how attractive he had become after the three months he spent out of her sight.

"Come on. I'm hungry. I'll buy you somethin'." Naruto guided her dazed state up onto a stool with him taking up a seat beside her.

"That was amazing, Naruto-nii." Ayame congratulated. "When did you become a player!?" Honestly the guys in her trashy romance novels {that may or may not have BDSM undertones in them} didn't even play it as smooth as the scene that she had just watched.

"I just know what I want." Ino blushed and turned her eyes to her lap when Naruto gave her a seductive glance. "Anyway give me an order of lemon pepper chicken with a large side of roasted cherry tomatoes and velvet cheesecake for Ino. I'll take four bowls of Miso Ramen with a side of Char siu and Shiruko."

Ino was rather astounded that Naruto got her favorite meal down to a T, but she moved to make a correction. "A small order of everything. Take away the cheesecake altogether."

"Don't listen to her, Nee-san. She's trying to diet."

"A shinobi on a diet!?" Ayame looked appalled. "A double serving it is." Ayame jotted down Naruto's recommended order for Ino two time. "It's not on the house just so you know."

Naruto shrugged. "I'm fine with that."

"Is dieting really that bad?" Ino asked Naruto while Ayame headed to the back to prepare the food.

"A shinobi has to eat around four times the amount a normal civilian would. We burn off whatever we put on through missions and training. Well if you train properly."

"So dad wasn't lying." Ino murmured to herself.

"Inochi is one of Konoha's best shinobi. It begs the question as to why you're barely skilled enough to be a genin."

"Shut up! Just because you went away for months and came back acting all badass doesn't undermine the fact that you're still a dobe."

"First off, It's not an act. I'm a certified badass, Dattebayo!" Naruto laughed, really he hadn't done anything spectacular to warrant such a title in this time cycle just yet, but he would soon correct that. "Also becoming strong isn't hard if you know what you're doing."

"I don't know about that…"

"Really, I could train you in our free time if you let me. I wouldn't want my woman dying on a mission afterall."

"Who said I was your woman!?"

"I did." Naruto grinned. Ino felt her rebellion against Naruto's advances weaken each time she made the mistake of looking at him.

'_Damn it, why do you have to be so gorgeous_.' She sighed internally. "I- I guess training wouldn't be so bad."

"Good, we'll start training tomorrow a 3 am."

"Why I so early!? I need my beauty sleep."

"Sleep is overrated, trust me! After the first couple months, you won't even miss sleep."

Ino would of have retorted with a snarky comment had a delectable bowl of roasted cherry tomatoes not been place in front of her. The chicken looked delicious too!

"I thought this place only made ramen?"

"Pfft." Ayame attempted not to laugh. "The name might say otherwise, but we haven't been so specialized for years. If we did competition would eat us alive."

Ino could only say "Oh." in responds. She blinked owlishly as Naruto interrupted her and Ayame's conversation by raising a tomato to her mouth.

"Come on, you're not leaving until your plates are cleaned."

Ino was hesitant, but took a bit of the tomato anyway. The warm, sweet, savory taste was to die for in her opinion. It was made all the better due to a handsome boy feeding her.

Soon enough all her food was gone. Naruto food had come during him feeding her, but she hadn't seen him empty the contents of the bowls into his gullet, but sure enough they were empty when she looked at them.

Naruto spun from his seat and slid to the ground. He extended a hand and helped Ino down as well.

"That was amazing." Ino grinned contently. "Thank you for the meal, Ayame-san." She gave Ayame a small bow.

"And thank you for the nice tip." Ayame's comment was more targeted at Naruto, how had tipped an amount that exceeded the price of the actual meal.

"No problem, nee-san. See ya later." Naruto hooked arms with Ino and lead her out the stand. She rested her head against his shoulder. Thoughts of how she was essentially strong-armed into an impromptu date did not fill Ino's mind as she walked arm and arm with Naruto.

"AH-HA!" There you are!" Ino was startled as Konohamaru ran up to them. "I've found you!" He pointed a victorious finger at Naruto, but her fellow blond only gave the little brunette a dry gaze.

"It's not like I was hiding before."

"That doesn't matter train me!"

"Fine." Konohamaru stared blankly at Naruto, he hadn't expected him to answer so carelessly.

"That was easy."

"I'm going to be Hokage one day and I'll need a successor. You're a good enough choice."

"No way! I'll be the next Hokage."

"Yeah right." Naruto laughed. "Jiji's already trying to find a replacement and unless you suddenly become at least a thousand times stronger than you are now the chances of you becoming the next Kage are none."

"Then you'll just have to make me a million times stronger." Konohamaru ordered.

"I'll see what we can make happen." Naruto grinned. He looked up to the sky. "It's still pretty early. I'll start both of your training now. Come on."

While Konohamaru looked eager, Ino felt the urge to run away, but Naruto grabbed both of their shoulders and preformed a leaf-less shunshin.

**000AOA000**

Ino groaned again as she rested her head against her desk.

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad." Naruto said as he sat beside her, his feet on the desk and his chair leaning backwards on its hind legs.

"Shut up." She groaned casting a barely intimidating glare at him.

He was a real tyrant in terms of training supervision. Yesterday he had his Bunshin force her and Konohamaru through a strenuous amount of physical exercise. Every time either was on the verge of fainting from exhaustion he made them pop a soldier pill. Konohamaru had out preformed her for the majority of the time, leading her to understand just how painfully undertrained she was. After the exercise he given them a quick lecture on chakra and the workings behind it. This was obviously more for Konohamaru rather than her, though he had mentioned certain things that she hadn't already been aware of.

From there they had spent the rest of the day doing chakra exercises. Konohamaru had struggled for hours with the leaf balancing technique, but eventually got the hang of it and joined Ino in learning to run up trees.

She managed to get the mechanics behind tree climbing down within a matter of minutes, but Naruto had her continue the exercise for hours. The exercise not only helped refine chakra, but the continuous use of it was also a good way to improve stamina and advocate the growth of her chakra pool. At least that how Naruto explained it.

When they tired or ran out of chakra Naruto had them pop even more soldier and chakra pills. According to him they were his special blend and didn't have as the normal draw backs the other pills of their nature possessed.

Still by the time ten O'clock came around both she and Konohamaru were dead tired. They had to be carried home by Naruto's Bunshin. She had never been so happy for her head to hit a pillow.

But she was rudely awakened ten minutes before three AM by another Bunshin that shoved her into the shower and forced her to wash up and do the rest of her morning routine in a matter of seven minutes before rushing her to the training ground that they used the day prior. How the clone managed to break into the Yamanaka Compound undetected was a mystery to her.

When they had it to the training ground Konohamaru was already training under the watchful eye of a Bunshin.

Naruto, the real Naruto, claimed that he spent all yesterday and this morning training as well, but Ino didn't want to believe him, yet she hadn't the energy to argue.

After training he treated her and Konohamaru to breakfast at a place that surprisingly was not Ichiraku. It was a small diner that served an amazing eggs, bacon, and hash brown meal.

Konohamaru had been whisked off for more training, while she and the original headed for the academy.

Iruka would arrive at eight, but they made it at seven thirty; earlier than the rest of the students so far.

"Take a rest. I'll wake you when the times right."

"Thanks." Ino mumbled allowing sleep to fully take her.

**000AOA000**

"Team 7 will be Sasuke Uchiha, Shikamaru Nara, and Sakura Haruno, your sensei is Kurenai Yūhi. Team 8 is Chōji Akimichi, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Abarame, your sensei will be Asuma Sarutobi. Team 9 is still in rotation. Team 10 will be Naruto Uzumaki, Ino Yamanaka, and Hinata Hyūga under Kakashi Hatake…"

Naruto tuned Iruka out as he continued to name off team arrangements. He felt a small victory in that he got Hiruzen to agree to his team selections. It was always a fifty-fifty chance of rather the old man would trust his opinions or not.

By tradition, the dead last of each year was to be paired with the top shinobi and kunoichi of the same year, but this was done to balance things out as well as motivate the deadlast into becoming stronger. Such a stipulation wasn't actually necessary in Naruto's case. Things never ended well when Naruto and Sasuke were on the same team. He'd tried a number of possible solutions to stop Sasuke from deflecting, but it always ended in a choice of three ways:

1. Sasuke would deflect.

2. Naruto would kill Sasuke as he attempted to deflect.

3. Naruto would bring Sasuke back and he would have his Sharingan sealed, his dick drained for sperm, and then imprisoned; only for Orochimaru or Obito to come later and break him out.

There was a fourth solution, but Naruto didn't have the option of underplaying his powers just to make the Uchiha feel as if he was still the best. It was best that he and Sasuke have as little interaction as possible until the Uchiha finally grew out or his Superiority-Inferiority complex.

Under Kurenai Sasuke could develop his genjutsu skill and learns a bit of humility as Kurenai would not be down for Sasuke's attitude, Shikamaru was too lazy to try to one up the Uchiha, and Sakura would similarly not want to show up Sasuke while also becoming a great genjutsu user under Kurenai until Tsunade comes around and begins teaching her medical ninjutsu.

In past cycles, Ino and Hinata died, because they weren't trained properly under Asuma and Kurenai respectively. Ino was a stubborn girl that didn't like to train and had no talent for genjutsu; ninjutsu and taijutsu were her best areas she could progress the furthest under himself and Kakashi.

Hinata was a taijutsu user through and through; Gai would serve well as her instructor, but he wasn't an option; already having Team 9.

Kakashi was the laziest sensei of the three choices for senseis, but he always applies the least resistance when Naruto attempts to take charge of training his teammates.

Chōji always did his best under Asuma and Kiba could learn to integrate Futon into his clan techniques, making him deadlier. Shino became just as skilled under any instructor, most because his father was the one took charge of his training.

Breaking up the Ino-Shika-Chō trio always causes problems from their fathers, how wanted their children to be together, Kurenai always wants Hinata under her wing, and Kakashi always demanded to have both Naruto and Sasuke on his team, but that was all solved by Hiruzen making it clear that he was their Hokage and he was the one that knew best for his future shinobi.

It left a bit of bad blood between them and Sarutobi, but they got over it sooner or later, usually after they saw how well the kids were doing under their instructors.

Naruto waited for Iruka to leave and the senseis to come pick up their squads before he made his move.

Taking out a pre-written letter he placed it on the table before turning to Ino. "Oi!" He roughly shook her awake causing her to grumble as she slowly sat up.

"What's going on?" She moaned while wiping spit away from the side of her face.

"We've gotten assigned to the same team. It's me, you, and Hinata."

"Oh great." Ino groaned. "So I'm stuck with you."

"You don't sound too happy." He grinned.

"I'm not." She growled, sure that she would be subjected to even more training that bordered on the line of torture.

"Well you're stuck with us now. Ain't that right, Hinata-chan!?"

"Eep." The Hyūga released a startled peep. Not expecting Naruto to suddenly acknowledge her. "R-right N-Na-Naruto-kun." She stammered over her words while attempting not to faint from talking directly to the boy of her affection

"What now?" Ino asked. Her annoyance was still evident in her voice. She was looking to Naruto for an answer.

"W-we, should wait for Kakashi-sensei." Hinata gave her opinion.

"Nah, that guy is always late. I've written him a note, though. We should get some lunch and start training."

"No way am I training with you again!" Ino declared definitely, but Naruto turned a look to her. She shriveled back under his gaze. She didn't want to be intimidated, but that look promised that she would be training very soon, rather she wanted to or not. "Fine." She caved.

"Come on, Hinata." Naruto said turning to the Hyūga. "We're a team now, so we should train as one."

"O-okay." She nodded, happy to be included.

**000AOA000**

They ate at Ichiraku again and she actually ate ramen this time, though she couldn't complain. Most people at the Academy badmouthed Naruto's love for ramen, but the ramen there was actually pretty good. They had this vegetable ramen that used tomatoes as the key ingredient to the broth. It will great with the yeast rolls and grilled fish served alongside it.

They conversed amongst themselves. It was mostly her and Naruto talking while Hinata tried not to faint from being so close to Naruto. Ino knew about Hinata's crush on Naruto, but she didn't know how to feel about it. She would be lying if she said she hadn't developed an attraction for her fellow blond and she would also be lying if she said she would just step aside if Hinata finally decided to make a move on him, but the girl was just so sweet. For a second, only a second, she considered sharing him. Both polygamy and polyamory were common place amongst shinobi. It wasn't exactly mandatory, but shinobi of interest {such as S-rank shinobi or users of rare Kekkei Genkai} were pressured to marry several women to increase the number of children sired. She thought about what she would do if Naruto became subject to this.

Ino brushed the thought to the side as they made it to the training ground. The place wasn't anything to cheer about. Trees, large clearings, and target dummy was all the training ground consisted of, so pretty much the norm for a Konoha training ground.

"**Kage Bunshin no jutsu**." Two clones flickered into existence to either side of Naruto. "These clones will instruct you. I have my own training to get to, so I need my privacy."

"Oh no you don't!" Ino interjected. "I want to see this training of your's!"

"It's a bit dangerous, but as long as you keep your distance it should be fine. Also watching me isn't an excuse for you to slack off." Naruto flickered away in a shunshin with one of his clone grabbing Ino and also vanishing in a flicker.

Hinata felt uncomfortable being alone, just her and a clone of the boy that held her heart.

"Pop a squat, Hinata-chan." The clone fell into a sitting position, his legs crossed over the other.

Hinata followed suit, taking a seat directly across from him.

"Hinata-chan…"

"Y-yes."

"I want you to look at me." The clone ordered seeing as Hinata had her eyes cast toward the ground.

Hinata hesitated so the clone took the liberty of cuffing her cheeks and pulling her head up so they were making eye contact. Hinata promptly fainted in his grasps.

"Oi." The Bunshin 'lightly' slapped Hinata on the cheek snapping her back into the land of the conscious. "Listen Hinata. You can't be fainting just from being around me. We're teammates now, so you have to get used to my presence, clear?"

"O-okay." She respond. It hurt that even Naruto was reprimanding her for her failure to behave in a proper manner, but she was used to it. At least she told herself that considering how often her father and the elders scolded her for not succeeding.

"I'm going to tell you something that you should already know." Hinata listened closely, though she hoped that he wouldn't scold her again. "You're a beautiful, talented girl. Nothing anyone will say changes that. You have to find your confidence though. No one can be that confidence for you. You have to stand strong on your own."

"O-okay."

"I don't want you to just say 'Okay'."

"W-w-wha-what sho-should I say?"

"Say that you're strong."

"I-I-I'm str-s-st-strong."

"Say it like you mean it."

Hinata felt a bit of courage under Naruto's encouragement. "I'm strong."

"I don't believe you. Say it like you **mean** it!"

"I'm strong!"

"Yell it!"

"I'M STRONG!" She quickly covered her mouth, not believing that she had just yelled. She took a cautious glance at Naruto, believing that he would have a look of disgust on his face, but instead he was grinning from ear to ear. That smile made her heart flutter.

"That's more like it! Don't ever doubt those words! I know it's hard. Your father must put a lot of pressure on you, but no matter what he says, you're strong! No matter what anyone from your clan tells you, you're talented! No matter what an enemy say, you're a proud kunoichi of Konoha! Don't doubt yourself. Hesitating on a mission doesn't just effect you. It effects all of use. We could die."

Hinata gulped. Naruto was making it painfully clear that she didn't have the option of playing the weak, unconfident damsel.

"Ino and I are here for you. Now and from here on out, but like I said you can't rely on use to be your confidence. Don't expect anyone to be something for you that you can't be yourself."

"Right!" Hinata nodded as determination burned in her eyes. Naruto grinned at the girl's 'flames of youth'. He knew that his words had gotten through to her; most because she adored him as an idol and held onto every word he said. It would established a foundation, one that wasn't quite solid yet, but with time it would grow and build into something great.

He just hoped that no one would come along and destroy that foundation before she could stand on her own two feet with the stability necessary to become a proper kunoichi.

"Okay, with the Juken you don't really have to worry about strength, so we'll start with some speed and stamina building exercises. Move into chakra control and finish with me helping you with your kata."

"Right!" Hinata nodded again, getting right into training. The good thing about being teamed with Hinata was that she would always be determined to impress him or burn herself out completely while trying.

**000AOA000**

Ino was flabbergasted as she watched Naruto train. Her shock helped her ignore the pain of the pushups while Naruto's doppelganger barked at her for slowing down.

The actually Naruto was doing physical exercise. Plowing through dozens of exercises at a rapid pace, not stopping for a second to rest.

Off to the one side at least a hundred Bunshin were running through the kata of some taijutsu style. Another group of one hundred Bunshin were working on tree climbing. A third group was doing nature affinity training for fire. And a final legion of clones were throwing jutsu off into the woods to increase mastery of it. Each attack destroyed entire groups of trees at a time.

'_He's insane_!' She thought to herself. She also silently thanked him for not pushing her even half-way as hard as he pushed himself.

**000AOA000**

Several hours later Kakashi walked into the academy room that should have held his genin hopefuls, but rather than any of them he only found a letter.

Dear Inu-sempai

We got sick of waiting on you, so we went to grab some lunch and start some team training. I assume that our absence is a null issue, since you were only going to get our introductions today, but telling you all that is pretty pointless if we don't pass your test tomorrow, so let's save the intros till after.

P.S. It's probably not my place and I know you're doing it to honor you fallen teammate, but being three hours late to everything is beyond irresponsible. We're your team now [Hopefully ;-)], so focusing on us should take priority, unless you want the past to repeat itself. I don't know. I could be wrong, but that's the way I see it.

Cya tomorrow at training ground 7, 10 O'clock. I know you were gonna say seven, but I calculated for time you'll miss.

Sincerely,

Your sensei's son,

Naruto Uzumaki

The entire letter was a big shock for Kakashi, but none more than the closing signature. "So he knows, huh?" Kakashi asked no one in particular. He turned and left the room, He would have to see the Hokage about Naruto's awareness of his identity.

**000AOA000**

Kakashi arrived at Training ground seven 10 O'clock sharp. He was happy to see that his genin were actually present this time.

Naruto was sitting in a meditative stance with his eyes closed while his teammates slept haphazardly on the ground.

"Are they okay?" Kakashi asked his only semiconscious student.

"They're fine." Naruto spoke in a calm drawl as he stood up and dusted off his clothing. Kakashi took note that the boy's fashion sense had improved. "I kind of wore them out with training yesterday and this morning let's let them rest."

"You know there's a rest to be taken, correct?"

"I'll be taking the test for them."

"Oh?" Kakashi smirk behind his mask. "And how do you figure I'd allow that?"

"I was hoping for a bit of sympathy. You've read our records and you know they'll scornfully underprepared for taking on a Jonin."

"I did, though your records would have me believe that you're the least prepared."

"Maybe, so. Or maybe you should blame my academy on subterfuge. Not many people like the Kyūbi brat after all. Am I right?" Naruto said as he fell into a fighting stance that was distinctly the Gōken.

"Maybe so, though we'll have a talk later about everything you know?"

"Minato's my father and Kushina's my mother. I'm the Sandaime Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Kitsune. You're my childhood bodyguard and my father's former student along with Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara. I know everything there is to know about my father, my mother, you, Obito, and Rin or at least everything you can find in unrestricted records. There no need to pry deeper right?"

"I would suppose." Kakashi frowned. "So how do you want to play this? I'm sure you're aware that you can't beat me?" Kakashi asked taking his own fighting stance.

"I'd never admit that though, but to keep thing uneven let's just go with the original plan. I take those bells from you and you let us pass."

"Oh, so you know what I had planned?" Kakashi asked taking out the bells. "There's only two bells though. One bell per student, so how will pass with you?" Kakashi asked. His answer would be the key to rather he would let him pass or fail even if he did miraculously get ahold of the bells.

"First off, that's totally bullshit. Under law, fresh genin are required to serve in squads of three, but if you somehow got jiji to agree to allow you to only take on just two students I guess I could go back to the academy."

"Huh?"

"Me getting those bells is for Ino-chan and Hinata-chan. If you see fit to send me back to the academy then I'll allow it."

"Self-sacrifice? An admirable ability for a shinobi." Kakashi applauded hooking the bells to his waist.

"Enough talk. I've been dying to test my new jutsu out in combat." Naruto closed his eyes for a second. The ground and sky began to rumble beneath around him.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. The chakra build up that Naruto was producing was insane. He was so focus on the sheer quantity of chakra being released that he barely noticed the orange tinge that accumulated around his eyes.

His eyes snapped open and Naruto body erupted with a discharge of lightning and wind that quickly merged into a deadly cloak of pale blue chakra. "**Senjutsu: Jinton Chakra Mōdo**!"

Naruto kicked off the ground in a forward charge. He was cutting a swallow fissure into the ground just from the dash.

The copy ninja had no time to dodge as Naruto cut the distance between them in a matter of milliseconds. The boy started his assault with a straight punch directed for Kakashi's head.

While he couldn't dodge, Kakashi had enough time to raise his arms up into a guard. An action he quickly regretted as Naruto's punch made contact. The cloth of his uniform and the armguard under it were ripped to shreds. Light cuts appeared all over his arm while the soft creek of his bone beginning to break resonated in Kakashi's ears.

He pushed an abundance of chakra to his left foot and kicked off the ground; gaining a huge gap of distance.

He had just enough time to put his hand on his headband and unveil his Sharingan before Naruto was on him again.

The boy appeared above he with his leg raised over his head.

He dropped the leg at a starling speed, striking Kakashi in the stomach and slicing through the log that Kakashi had used for a Kawarimi at the last moment.

Kakashi hide in the tree tops as he observed Naruto land on the ground. He had to devise a plan to stop the boy's momentum and neutralize that jutsu, but he was not given the time do just that as Naruto immediately turned toward his direction and shot a fist at him.

A piece of the boy's cloak broke off and formed a large bullet of perfectly fused wind and lightning that was cruising right for Kakashi.

He jumped out of the tree, but Naruto was already on him again. He kick him right back into the tree just as the Jinton bullet struck his position.

Kakashi gritted his teeth in pain as his body was simultaneously singed, cut, and electrocuted.

Still he did not go down as he landed on his feet. '_**Kyūmon, Seimon, Shōmon, Kai**_!' Kakashi mentally ordered the release of three of his inner gates.

This allowed him to keep up as Naruto attempted to drop down on him like an anvil on a cartoon character.

"I'll have to take you seriously." Kakashi said as Naruto charged him. Even now he was narrowly dodging the boy's flurry of punches and kicks.

"If you do I just might do the same." Kakashi really hoped the boy was joking as a punch landed a solid blow on his shoulder. He cringed from that attack and that slight pause was all Naruto needed as he began dealing blow after blow.

Kakashi was growing increasingly hopeless as he found it harder to dodge with each shot. '_Paralysis_.' He realized as Naruto drove more and more punches into him. The Raiton aspect of the cloak wasn't just being used to add a shocking effect to his attacks. It was also being used to lock up Kakashi's muscles.

He stumbled over his feet in a failed attempt to retreat. Naruto stood over him read to drive home the winning blow.

He raised his arms with a knowing smile on his face. He was well aware that the next blow would spell victory.

"Damn It!" He croaked out a curse as he stumbled and landed face first into the ground beside Kakashi. "Good game Inu-sempai." Naruto laughed.

"Why didn't you finish it?" Kakashi asked pretty weirded out as Naruto didn't move an inch from getting off the ground.

"This jutsu is still in the testing stages. Hardly battle ready. As soon as I run out of Senjutsu chakra my body gives out and the abundance Raiton chakra coursing through my body gives me a nice shock for my troubles. I'll be paralyzed for the next few minutes."

"Haha, well that was a good beat down on your par. Made me realize how rusty I am. It's a shame you didn't get the bells." Kakashi said in good humor of the situation.

"I wouldn't say that." Naruto grinned into the dirt as a group Bunshin walked out the woods. One raised his hand revealing the bells dangling between his fingers.

"Looks like you're in a predicament boss." The lead Bunshin laughed with the other doppelgangers joining in.

"Help us up you sorry waste of chakra!" Naruto growled.

The group of Bunshin thought on it before settling on doing as told. Two Bunshin each placed Kakashi's and Naruto's arms over their necks and dragged them back to the rest of Team Ten.

The girls were awake and wide eyed as their teammate and new Sensei were brought back to them.

"So you're up?" Naruto grinned.

"We've been up since before sensei arrived." Ino informed.

"Oh really?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow, though it was strained as he had not yet come off his paralysis.

"W-we thought it best to not let you know, so we could avoid m-more training." Hinata revealed.

"We'll you're up now, so you should get back to work." Naruto grinned. "Though I applaud you Hinata. I didn't know you were capable of mischief."

Hinata blushed at the compliment.

"Why do we have to train more? We don't even know if we've passed."

"I can't rightfully fail you since Naruto got you two the bells."

"B-but w-what about Naruto-k-kun?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, I'm not going to let the baka go back to the academy for me!"

"Aww, Ino-chan you **do** care!"

"Shut up!" Ino glared at the blond before looking back to Kakashi.

"This test was to determine if you had teamwork, but more importantly to see if you were willing to sacrifice you own gain for that of the team. I never expected a greenhorn genin to actually beat me. That being said all of you have shown concern for each other's progression, so I'll let you pass, but expect a full team evaluation tomorrow. Now if you don't mind I think I'm going to take a nap." Kakashi promptly fainted.

"He's lost a lot of blood." Hinata told them, having examined Kakashi's insides with her Byakugan.

"Take him to the hospital." Naruto ordered his clones. They hurriedly vanished via shunshin. "Sit me down."

The remaining clones slid Naruto down between Hinata and Ino. Leaning him against a tree for support before they dispelled themselves.

"That was insane! Just how strong are you!?" Ino commended him, though the way she said it her words came off as a scolding.

"That really was amazing Naruto-kun!"

"Thanks. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to beat Inu-sempai without combining Senjutsu Mōdo and Jinton Mōdo though. Wouldn't have come even close. He's also pretty out of shape so that helped."

"Still you're definitely the strongest genin!" Hinata complimented.

Ino thought about disagreeing. She wanted to say Sasuke was still stronger, but she was rather surprised when she couldn't utter such words. She was even more surprised when she didn't feel giddy from thinking about the Uchiha. "Yeah, Hinata's right." She gave a delayed agreement.

"Thanks girls. I'll glad to hear that from my future wives."

"Wait! What?" Ino yelled, but Hinata was already gone into Lala-land.

"M-m-m-me N-n-n-Na-Naruto-k-k-k-kuun's wi-" She fainted with a fountain of blood squirting out of her red, blushing nose.

"How do you figure that I would marry you!? And I'm not good with sharing, especially a ma-" She was shushed as Naruto, having gained renewed movement, grabbed her and pulled her into a deep, steaming kiss.

She was in a daze as he released her. "Trust me you'll be thankful that you don't have me all to yourself once we start having some real 'fun'." Naruto grinned.

Ino could only blush.

**000AOA000**

**That's it for chapter two. With all hope I'll be posting this story on my birthday.**

**Naruto was a bit preachy this chapter, but to be fair I don't know any old man that isn't constantly correcting youngsters on their life choices.**

**Normally I'd try to cut a story off at 5k, but I wanted to get everything out the way, so I could start the next chapter with a four month timeskip. Right at the start of the Wave Mission arc. Rather I make that just one chapter of a couple is still up in the air. I want to condense Part 1 of this story into around 100k, so I don't really want to focus of anything to long, especially since Naruto won't have a 'real' challenge until after the timeskip that happens in canon.**

**Ino and Hinata will be the pairing for this story. No Sakura, because I wouldn't feel right making a harem that included Ino and Sakura since they're more or less the same (at least at the start of canon). That and I've grown to like SakuSasu after reading a particular story where they were one of the main pairings. I have no idea why I just tried to beat around the bush on what story it was. It's not as if I've signed something that said I can't advertise other people stories. The name of the fic is: 'I Am NOT Going Through Puberty Again!' by EvilFuzzy9. **

**I plan to make Ino and Hinata's badass like Naruto, but not to his extent, at least not right away. The Konohamaru Corps will also be way stronger with Naruto taking them under his wing in a more progressive fashion.**

**Well that's all. Like I've said it's my birthday, so I'm going to be a bit selfish and ask that you all leave me nice long reviews. The best one will get to decide how else is added to the harem. Like I said I don't want to add Sakura, but if you choose for her to join then I'll add her. I'll decide the winner in the A/N of chapter 4.**


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